HARDLIFE HERALD Newsletter of the 385Th Bombardment Group Association

HARDLIFE HERALD Newsletter of the 385th Bombardment Group Association

548th 549th

550th 551st

1942 - 1945 Great Ashfield - Suffolk, England Station 155 - The Mighty Eighth

Volume 29 - Number 5 November 2012

San Antonio Reunion - October 2012 HARDLIFE HERALD TABLE OF CONTENTS 385th Bombardment Group (H) Federal IRS Tax Exempt Code #501 (C) (19) 52-1068468 PAGE Officers and Directors 02....Officers and Directors / Cover Credits 03....President’s Message / Letter From the Editor 04....The Demise of Powerful Katrinka PRESIDENT EDITOR Thomas Gagnon Charles Lundsberg 09....Great Ashfield - by Tom Gagnon 19 White Pine Knoll 58 Ivy Grove Way 11....Featured Pin-Up Artist - Freeman Elliot Westford, MA 01886 (S) Dallas, GA 30132 11....”There I was...” - Bob Stevens Cartoons 814 Staffordshre (678) 457-7759 (C) Sun City, FL 33573 (W) [email protected] 12....Pin-Up - “An Arrow Escape” (813) 394-0338 (C) 13....Calendars [email protected] HISTORIAN 14....San Antonio Reunion Pictures Ian McLachlan VICE-PRESIDENT 10 All Saints Green 19....385th BGA Taps Susan Stern Fineman Worlingham Beccles 23....Subsription Information 13400 Cheltenham Dr. Suffolk NR34 7RR Sherman oaks, CA 91423 Ianm385bg@ (818) 789-4097 (H) btopenworld.com (818) 802-9924 (C) [email protected] SECRETARY Barbara Dangleman TREASURER 741 Faith Street Chuck Smith Maitland, FL 32751 P.O. Box 329 (407) 628-5424 Front Cover: 385th Veteran Attendees Alpheretta, GA 30009 [email protected] (404) 683-2896 chucksmith@ PAST PRESIDENT smithindustrialsales. Albert (Al) Audette Due to it’s popularity at the last 385th reunion com 279 Washington St. *LIFE MEMBER CONTACT Woburn, MA 01801 (just ask Chuck how many he made) we bring (781) 933-5316 you... DIRECTORS [email protected] Vincent W. Masters *AFHS CONTACT 389 Westview Dr. Athens, GA 30606 BOARD ADVISORS RoyAnne’s Cosmo Recipe (706) 546-1324 *Monuments, Memorials jayjaymasters@yahoo. and Anniversaries net -Jigger of Vodka Leo L. LaCasse USAF Ret. -Half Jigger of Cuantreau Verne Phillips 4911 Hunting Hill, CT P.O. Drawer 5970 Roanoke, VA 24018 -Cranberry Juice Austin, TX 78763 (540) 772-1907 -Shake or Stir over Ice (512) 458-1539 [email protected] [email protected] -Garnish with Lime John W. Hyatt Lindley R. Weikert 6754 East Eagle Crest Dr. -Optional Splash of Club Soda at end. 6155 Grand Vista Ave. Flagstaff, AZ 86004 Cincinnati, OH 45213- [email protected] 1719 Adjust ingrediants to taste. (513) 731-7116 (H) Burton Gelbman (513) 477-2774 (C) 1706 Wedge Court [email protected] Sun City Center, FL 33573 HONORY MEMBERS Burtg23@tampabay. Roger Feller rr.com Eldon Nysethter Mayor Ferdinand Unsen All photos / content copyright their respective rightful owners.

02 HARDLIFE HERALD NOVEMBER 2012 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Let me begin with a few words about reunions. Once again, the 385th BGA was well rep- resented at the 8th AFHS reunion held this year in San Antonio. San Antonio was a lovely venue and we continued our tradition, thanks mainly to Chuck Smith, of having the most popular, well-stocked, and well-attended hospitality suite at the reunion. The 8th AFHS has elected to hold their 2013 reunion in Savannah, in July. While Savannah is lovely and its proximity to the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum is a real plus, your 385th BGA Board of Directors expressed real concern about going to Savannah in July due to the heat and humidity prevalent at that time of year. Once again, the Board is leaning strongly to hold- ing our 2013 reunion separately from the national reunion at a place and time other than Savannah in July. Several alternatives are under investigation. Watch this space in subsequent issues for more information.

The holiday season is upon us once again. Where did the time go?? My very best wishes to you all and to your families for a Happy Thanksgiving. There is so much to be thankful for. At least, by the time you read this, the election will be behind us and we will finally have a respite from all of those annoying phone calls and combative commercials! I don’t mean to make light of the problems facing our country and how they impact many of us and/or our loved ones directly or indirectly. Nevertheless, I do believe that if we pause and give it some thought, I believe each and every one of us will find much to be grateful for. May you and yours continue to be blessed.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR As the holiday seasons rapidly approach, my thoughts turn to the many things I have to be thankful for. I enjoy being surrounded by family and friends and was fortunate to be able to attend the 385th reunion in San Antonio this year thanks to Chuck Smith. It was an honour to be able to converse with both familiar and new faces not only with the 385th, but with all the veterans, next generations and guests from other Bomb Groups that attended the 8th Air Force reunion. I would also like to extend another sincere thanks to Chuck Smith for putting me on my first B-17 flight this past summer. The “Movie Memphis Belle” (41-24485) was in town to support the Liberty Belle Foundation and it’s rebuilding of its own B-17 of the same name. I was amazing by how stable the aircraft flew, how intense the noise was from the engines in the bomb bay / plank area and the tremean- dous wind tunnel that existed from the radio operator’s open gun port on to the back of the plane. (This F-model did not have the luxery of plexiglass windows) Needless to say it was very memorable and I cannot fathom what it must have been like with the added existance of Flak, enemy fighters and the long high altitude flights. I’m still smiling about this - thank you again, Chuck. This is more than likely the last issue I’ll get out this year, so I’d like to wish you all a Joy- ous Holiday season. God Bless.

NOVEMBER 2012 HARDLIFE HERALD 03 The Demise of Powerful KaTrinKa © ian mclachlan (from eighTh air force BomBer sTories – a new selecTion) Lt Charles Guyler and crew hangar on the southern side over the UK. However, this sought a cartoon theme of the airfield undergoing policy had recently been re- when requesting 385th art- battle-damage repairs. That laxed and Me 410’s of KG51 ist Anne Haywood to adorn day the 385th had launched were again abroad seek- their B-17 with a caricature 20 aircraft to support at- ing to catch the unwary. On of “Powerful Katrinka”. This tacks on marshalling yards 23rd May, they had already was no curvaceous lovely in Chaumont as part of the destroyed Lancaster NN695 but was familiar from child- build up to D-Day. Intense of 619 Squadron at 02.55 hood as the robust, Scandi- pressure prevailed to repair hours over East Wretham, navian housemaid featured damaged aircraft in black- Norfolk with the loss of six in the “Toonerville Trolley” out conditions because Luft- crew. Attacks also occurred cartoon strip. Protectivewaffe activities had recent- over Bedfordshire and on of her young charges in the ly increased, most notably Lancasters of 105 Squadron series, she was frequently on 22nd April 1944 as - deat Bourn, Cambridgeshire, called upon to perform feats scribed in my, “Night of theonly some thirty miles west of great strength and the Intruders”. During any noc- of Great Ashfield. Guyler crew felt this was turnal activity on the base, very appropriate for their external lights were kept to It may have been only a mo- Flying Fortress. Annie soon a minimum and doused dur- mentary lapse in discipline had a trestle alongside the ing an air raid alert. Black- or inadequate blackout pre- recently assigned B-17G out conditions were intended cautions but, allegedly, an and 42-31928 underwent to prevent seepage of light open hangar door sent light the anthropomorphosis into from buildings acting as a shafting a beam across the “Powerful Katrinka”. She beacon to prowling Luftwaffe concrete apron approach- served the Group well dur- intruders. The 385th wereing Hangar One thus inviting ing the winter of 1943-4 andpreparing themselves for some unwelcome attention. it was not air combat that a maximum effort against At 0320 hours, an alert Ger- destroyed their plucky ser- Berlin and mission planning man aircrew seized the mo- vant but an action unique in and briefing activities were ment. Having passed over Eighth Air Force history. already underway. Great Ashfield, their Messer- schmitt wheeled sharply and While airmen slept, or tried Outside, the Suffolk coun- powered back towards the to, other essential activities tryside was sheathed in airfield. Encountering no continued unabated and the darkness while cottage win- anti-aircraft fire, the intruder resourcefulness of skilled dows rattled gently to the released seven 50kg bombs ground crews became leg- nocturne of aero-engines that straddled the air base. endary with personnel work- high above. RAF Bomber Most exploded harmlessly ing long hours to maximize Command was continuing but one fell cleanly through operational efficiency. Lower its own unceasing challenge the roof of Number One han- level maintenance was car- to the enemy with over 1000 gar exploding on the unfor- ried out in the open, often in sorties flown. Ranging in re- tunate “Powerful Katrinka”. appalling weather, but some taliation, the Luftwaffe’s ef- The blast tore sheets of cor- work required hangar facili- forts were comparatively rugated iron cladding from ties and, on 23rd May, 1944, puny owing in part to Hit- the hangar side and lift- “Powerful Katrinka” was in ler’s having previously pro- ed both sets of doors from Great Ashfield’s number one scribed intruder operations their runners to collapse on 04 HARDLIFE HERALD NOVEMBER 2012 the concrete aprons outside each end of the hangar. For- tunately, no one was killed but, within moments, flames engulfed the hapless Katrin- ka and threatened another B-17 just ahead.

Hearing the explosion, Staff Sgt. Lawrence M. Hill, the Base Fire Station Chief raced from his quarters to find the entire airfield illuminated by flames from the stricken building -- a certain marker for further attack. Holler- The Remains of Powerful Katrinka 42-31928 ing at the fire crew toblasted get in the hangar side. ordered to move clear. Con- dressed, Hill and his men Rapidly assessing the situa- cluding his strategy, Hill or- hurtled to the scene without tion, they calculated that, if dered one crash truck to the waiting for orders. Reach- they moved fast and accu- hangar’s rear with instruc- ing Hangar One, the fire- rately directed their hoses, tions to lay two foam lines. men faced a scene of dev- one of the two aircraft inside He sent another crew to astation. Apart from the could be saved. Time was the front telling them to set giant doors laying flat on critical;the its stabilizers were two long foam lines that re- concrete, numerous sheets already alight. Fires also quired equipment providing of corrugated cladding had threatened a large Cletrac, additional pressure. Luckily, been blasted from the han- just beginning to burn, and his department had already gar’s side and bomb-craters ranks of crated and uncrated demonstrated their inven- pockmarked the airfield. Cyclone engines lining one tiveness in the design of a “Powerful Katrinka”, beside of the hangar. Strug- new pump but this was as ing vigorously consumed by gling to play out their hos- yet unproven. Recognizing fire fed on fuel and oxygen, es, they were interrupted by a weakness in the American was reacting very angrily to an officer from Flying Con- apparatus available, their her fate as fusillades of .50 trol who ran up with orders indigenous design cleverly calibre rounds spat viciously from Col. Van Devanter to combined American and Brit- from the conflagration. evacuate the building. Hav- ish couplings, cut and weld- ing judged the situation, Hill ed to increase both range Disregarding the danger, Hill was convinced they could and pressure - this would be ordered a line laid from his save the second B-17 andits first use in anger. Con- truck to the side of the han- much of the valuable equip- fident in U.S. ingenuity, Hill gar. Supported by his team, ment. Tasking Warren with called for more power. Using Sergeants. Don Warren and persuading their superiors, the fire truck at the front of Charles L. McCarthy, with Hill planned their most ef- the hangar with an arterial technicians Stanley J. Lisek fective approach. He was feed of foam lines branching and Ernest A Herndon Jr, Hill pleased when Warren re- into two capillary hoses, he realized the torn-out clad- turned with the order re- gauged he could effectively ding created easy, if risky, scinded and permission to strike the seat of the fire in access and they stepped in use their initiative. All un- the aircraft wing tanks. Sup- through the large opening authorized personnel were porting this, he had a pump NOVEMBER 2012 HARDLIFE HERALD 05 feeding water along a single time. He made a hit on the figured we were in no dan- line drawn through a hole in hangar with two B-17’s and ger from enemy action even the hangar wall to douse the all the time I was running though the British renegade, empennage of the threat- from the scene I could hear “Lord Haw Haw” did say in ened B-17. He also - posiammunition going off. He one of his broadcasts from tioned another trailer pump had a beautiful aiming point Germany, “Don’t worry, close to the rear of the han- because the hangar was all Great Ashfield. We’ll get to gar and two additional hoses lit up -- the doors could not you.” And they did. It was a pressure-foamed, “Power- be closed for some reason. night when there was to be a ful Katrinka”. Skilfully using This was so ironic because mission the next day, with their resources and ignoring we made sure all curtains take-off about 4:30 in the the danger, Hill and his men were drawn in the barracks. morning. It was Gemel’s prevented further destruc- We had heard a plane buzz- turn to work on the planes tion and had the fire undering around previously but that night. I was in the control before additional thought it was one of ours. sack. There was the - fa support arrived. He made just one pass but miliar air-ride siren and it was enough. Later, one then, over the P.A. system, Next morning, “Powerful Ka- of the Brass made the re- came, “Condition Red! -Con trinka” was no more. Her mark that the bomber had dition Red!” This woke me charred and smouldering been very unlucky because, up. There was the sound of ashes littered the hangar although he wiped out a bombs exploding, followed floor but it could have beenhangar and two ships (sic);by the sound of .50 caliber much worse as Dom Jordanjust a few more yards he shells going off, in a pop- of the 548th Squadron noted would have wiped out most corn popping rhythm, not in his diary, “May 23rd 1944. of the base flying person- in bursts as from a machine I finally got my second mis - nel.” Another recollection of gun. Next over the speakers sion in today. We bombed this incident comes from the came, “All unauthorized per - the railroad yards in Chau- memoirs of the late M/Sgt sonnel stay away from Han- mont, France using #1000 Winston Churchill Chadwick, gar One! All unauthorized G. P. [6]. The mission wasan electronics specialist. personnel stay away from a milk run. The real excite- Hangar One!” Well, if all that ment was provided when a We, of the Ground Crew, noise was coming from Han- lone Jerry dropped a string of bombs parallel to the briefing area. We had just finished briefing and were in our locker room changing when we heard this ever-in- creasing crescendo or shriek of falling bombs. It was my first and only experience of being on the receiving end. When the shriek ended and the explosions started we were too stunned to do any- thing for a few seconds. Evidently the Jerry was- af ter the personnel. He must have known our briefing May 23, 1944 Bomb Crater & B17 06 HARDLIFE HERALD NOVEMBER 2012 gar Number One, you can another Base. It was nearly and he had to go outside the bet we would stay away. We time for those two planes to Hangar for that. Just as he were already about a mile arrive and a plane was heard took hold of the knob on the from the Hangar. Come day- by the men in the Control small door let into the large light, we learned what hap- Tower. Thinking it was theHangar door, bomb number pened. As I say, a mission first of the Pathfinders,6 the landed just outside that was scheduled with take-off Tower obligingly turned on door. about 4:30 am. The Gun- the runway lights, faint rings ners had been brief and they of light outlining the run- The next instant bomb num- had gone to the planes with way to be used. The planeber 7 came through the their guns and gear. The passed over once, circled roof and landed squarely in Crew Chiefs and their As- and lined up for the proper the plane at the far side of sistants were preflightingrunway, just as it should do the hangar. The guard was the engines. The rest ofbefore landing. But instead knocked flat, but was not the Flying Crew were being of landing, it swung over to injured. If he had had this briefed. They were briefed the right, attempting to line urge for a smoke a moment separately so they could be up with planes dispersed sooner, the story would have told where they were going. there, and started dropping been quite different. A little The Gunners had not been eight 250-lb.[sic] bombs. beyond the far side of the told for fear some might “go The first 5, although landinghangar, a Crew Chief and over the hill”. The Briefing close to planes, made no di- his Assistant finished - pre Room was in a building right rect hit. On the last part of flighting a B-17 and had just beside Hangar Number One. his bomb-run, the German shut off the engines, when At that time, we still did flew over Hangar Numberthe eighth and last bomb not have any “Path-Finder”One. In that Hangar werelanded 50 feet beyond the planes, planes that could two B-17’s face-to-face, or nose of the plane, in an un- “see” the target regardlessperhaps I should say, nose- paved area. Up until that of cloud cover and signal the to-nose. We all had to take time, when a plane went following planes so they too our turn at Guard Duty. into the hangar for major would drop their bombs on There was a guard insiderepair, the ammunition was the target. We were bor- the Hangar. He thought he not removed from the plane. rowing two Pathfinders fromjust had to have a cigarette, These .50 caliber shells were going off in a popcorn popping rhythm, making a sieve of the Hangar walls and the remaining part of the roof. Surprisingly, no one was injured. About a third of the Group’s planes were damaged, most of them by air blast and flying pieces of bomb. All the planes that were intended for the mission were loaded with twelve 500-pound bombs and the fuel tanks were topped off. If the German had made a direct hit on one of those 42-31928 Powerful Katrinka and Hangar Damage planes, it would have made NOVEMBER 2012 HARDLIFE HERALD 07 quite a mess. Gemel told me that everybody in the area where he was, dived for the ditches, expecting the Ger- man pilot to do some strafing after he dropped the bombs. He didn’t. After the end of his bomb-run, he passed right over a Gun Emplace- ment. There were no Anti- Aircraft Guns on our Base, but we did have these two positions where there were what we called “pea-shoot- Great Asfield May 23, 1944 - Side Blown Off #1 Hangar ers”, .50 caliber guns. - Ei ther the two guys, who were supposed to be manning the guns the German flew over, were asleep (though I don’t see how they could have been), or they were afraid of drawing his attention, for they did not even attempt to bring him down. We learned later, however, that the Ger- man did not make it back home. The word was, “We got him, Great Ashfield.” The incident let us know that the Germans had some very ac- curate information about our Base, ---- the time of take- Great Asfield May 23, 1944 - bomb damage off, the fact that two planes would come from another field and also the exact time of their arrival.”

On a lighter note, a healthy trade was soon underway in bartering bomb fragments as airmen filled in -the cra ters. Technicians assessed damage to other aircraft as minimal and General Le May called personally to see if the 385th could mount the day’s mission. Undaunted, they still mustered 23 aircraft for the assault on Berlin. 42-31928 Powerful Katrinka - burnt out oxygen bottles 08 HARDLIFE HERALD NOVEMBER 2012 obnoxious in his comments greaT ashfielD about the “soft life” lived by By Tom gagnon the aircrews with their hot He was born in the sum- old Nathan and 16 year-old meals and beds to sleep in. mer of his 27th year, going Justin. Both of the boys had Now, no one doubted the home to a place he’d never known their great-grandfa- hard life of Marines in com- been before….He left yester- ther well and were anxious bat - - - but the Marines had day behind him, you might to learn more about his war- never experienced a head- say he was born again. You time experiences. We be- on fighter attack or flak so might say he found the key gan our journey with a stay thick it seemed like you to every door. John Denver, at the Russell Hotel on Lon- could walk on it. Dad and Rocky Mountain High. don’s Russell Square, where his mates had heard about Dad and his mates stayed enough when Dad’s co-pilot, In the summer of his 27th whenever they got leave to Earl, uncorked a haymaker year, my Dad completed his visit London. (On their firstof a punch from out of no- combat tour and returned to leave, the billeting office putwhere and decked the 6’2” Station 155, Great Ashfield them at the Russell Square Marine. For a few tense mo- in East Anglia. You might hotel. They quickly made ments, it seemed as though say he “found the key to -evfriends with the staff and a brawl was about to ensue, ery door” having completed were told to skip the billet- when the remaining Marines his tour and having earned a ing office on subsequent vis- thought better of it and car- return trip to the States. He its and come directly to the ried their unconscious com- had done his duty and had hotel.) rade off to bed. From then the good fortune to survive. on, Earl was known as “One- Like many of his comrades, In the years before Dad’s Punch.” he was content to let the ex- death, I heard stories of the perience slowly recede into Russell Square hotel. There After settling in at the hotel the past. With the excep- was the time they were sit- that first day, I slipped away tion of the nightmares that ting on the roof one eve- from the others and made arrived unbidden from time ning, enjoying the fresh air my way to the bar where I to time, he focused on look- when they heard the dis- spent a couple of hours chat- ing forward, not back. It tinctive sound of a V-1 - enting with the bartender, sip- wasn’t until some 50 yearsgine, and, more ominously, ping draft beers and single- later that he entertained the heard the sound stop as the malt scotch, and communing possibility of a return trip to buzz-bomb ran out of fuel. with my Dad’s memory. Great Ashfield hoping to take It impacted directly across me and my brother and our the square from the hotel. A driver picked us up early wives. Unfortunately, other Good luck remained with the morning of June 29th for commitments, illness and ul- them, even on leave. the The 21/2 hour drive to Great timately his death prevented hotel had an “after hours”Ashfield. I had prearranged the return trip. bar for their military pa- a meeting with Ian MacLach- trons. It was stocked pri- lan and Roy Barker, local In the Spring of 2010, while marily with donations from members of the Friends of investigating a proposed these patrons. One eveningthe Eighth and keepers of 385th Bomb Group Associa- a couple of Marines who hadthe memories of the 385th tion trip to Great Ashfield, I obviously taken on a good Bomb Group and the remains determined to make the trip load earlier in the evening of the airfield at Great Ash - with my wife Janet and two stopped in for a nightcap. field. Also joining us for the of our grandsons, 13 year- One Marine was particularlyvisit was Tim Randleman, NOVEMBER 2012 HARDLIFE HERALD 09 ever, some 3,000 airmen lost during the gale of 1987 were billeted at the airfield. and was replaced by another Most of the infrastructure that still has some growing that housed and supported to do. As our tour concluded, them is gone. Only one ofwe gathered at the intersec- the maintenance buildings tion of the two main runways remains and it is in disrepair. and sped away in our car If you know where to look, toward the end of the run- you can find one of the hard- way, gathering speed as we stands where B-17s were avoided potholes, but never a nextgen member of the parked and the remains of approaching the speed nec- 385th BGA whose grandfa- one of the shelters that essary to lift a fully-loaded ther was stationed at Great housed the crash carts and B-17 off the runway. With Ashfield during the war. Timfire trucks by the runway.a little bit of imagination, is active USAF and is sta- The circumference taxiway one could hear the roar of tioned at RAF Lakenheath; and a good portion of the squadrons of B-17s jockey- he lives just a stone’s throwmain runways remain, pri- ing for position on the taxi- from the end of one of the marily because it would cost way, making their way to the Great Ashfield runways andso much to remove them and runway and taking off for yet has taken the opportunity to cart away the rubble. This another mission over For- familiarize himself with the may be changing, however. tress Europe. Looking over field. Just as rubble from the Lon- my shoulder, the three trees don blitz was used to form waved in the wind as if to We met at the Village Hall the foundation for Great say good-bye. in Great Ashfield and began Ashfield’s runways, rubble our tour at the chapel, two from these same runways My mission was completed. examples of the things that has been used as the foun- Not only had I been to Great haven’t changed much since dation for a nearby bridge. Ashfield and walked where the war. The 1500 year-old And after excavating that my father had lived and chapel with its 385th Bomb rubble, the farm was able to fought as a younger man, group memorials and com- return 9 acres of land to pro- but I had helped to pass on memorative stained glass duction. Many more acres his legacy to yet another window is truly a hallowed remain recoverable, but at generation. place. It was with great the expense of obliterating pleasure that I signed the what little physical remains guest book as the first -Secthere are of the old airfield. ond Generation president of the 385th BGA. We trod the area where Dad’s 549th Squadron was I suspect my Dad would billeted; we stood in front have found the village to of the location of the hang- be essentially the same as er that was bombed by the when he was there. The -airLuftwaffe destroying a B-17 field is another story. that The was inside. We rode by airfield was carved out of anthe site of the control tower active farm. Farming con- and viewed the “Three Trees” tinued throughout the war that marked the runway ap- years and farming continues proach. Two of the original to this day. In 1944, how- poplars remain. One was 10 HARDLIFE HERALD NOVEMBER 2012 FEATURED PIN-UP ARTIST Freeman Elliot (b.1922)

Born in 1922 in a suburb of Chicago, Elliot apprenticed at the Ste- vens/Gross studio, where he had the opportunity to learn from Gil Elvgren, Joyce Ballantyne, Al Buell, and Haddon Sundblom. Shortly after serving in the Navy in World War ll, he was commissioned by Brown & Bigelow to create two sets of double card decks: Winning Aces and Hit the Deck became runaway best-sellers.

In 1953, Elliot's work appeared on Brown & Bigelow's successful Ballyhoo Calendar, along with that of Esquire artists Al Moore, Er- nest Chiriaka, Eddie Chan, and Ward Brackett. Each page of these twelve-page calendars had a primary pin-up figure surrounded by several razor-crisp side sketches commenting in some way on the main picture. The large pin-up was painted in gouache, Elliot’s favourite medium, the smaller sketches done in pencil.

Millions of Americans saw his pin-ups on the covers of Hearst's Pictorial Weekly during the 1950s.

Though often amusing, his pin-ups could also be sexy and sensual. Elliot, who was rep- resented by Stevens/Gross, had a cross-over career that encompassed front covers for national magazines, story illustrations, and advertising art.

Freeman Elliot biography borrowed from The Great American Pin-up by Charles G. Martignette & Louis K. Meisel. “There I was...” The cartoons of Bob Stevens

NOVEMBER 2012 HARDLIFE HERALD 11

November Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3

All Saints’ Day All Souls’ Day 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Daylight Savings Ends Election Day 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Veterans Day Veterans Day Observed 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Thanksgiving Day 25 26 27 28 29 30 1

December Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

First Sunday of Advent Japanese Attack Pearl Chanukah Begins at Harbor, 1941 Sundown 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

First Powered Flight - Winter Solstice Kitty Hawk, NC, 1903 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Christmas Eve Christmas 30 31 New Years Eve San Antonio Reunion Memories NOVEMBER 2012 HARDLIFE HERALD 15 16 HARDLIFE HERALD NOVEMBER 2012 NOVEMBER 2012 HARDLIFE HERALD 17 18 HARDLIFE HERALD NOVEMBER 2012 385Th BGA TAPS

great-grandsons; Phillip During the October 2012 Bertsch and Dane Moniaci. 385th BGA Reunion in One brother, Forest Wayne San Antonio, TX, the fol- Bertsch preceded him in lowing Bomb Group As- death. sociation Members were John was a W.W.II U.S. Army honoured in their passing Air Corps Veteran and re- by the reunion attendees: ceived EAME Service Medal with (1) Bronze Battle Star, Herbert L. Baudier Victory Medal and American Rex Morton Cantrell Theater Service Medal. He was a member of the Sidney Mendel R. Cline American Legion Post 217, the LaVerne Nemo Cummins Wapakoneta Eagles and was a Cono J. Damato member of St. Jacob Lutheran Ralph Dentinger Church in Anna. Neil Duell Mr. Bertsch was a retired ma- chinery repairman for Gener- Thomas Gentile JOHN F. BERTSCH, 88, al Motors in Dayton, OH retir- Henry J. Ilger 2303 Armstrong Dr., Sidney, ing in 1991. John A. Immel passed away Monday, Sep- tember 26, 2011 at 9:52 A.M. William W. Mee Funeral Services were held at Wilson Memorial Hospital. John J. Messbauer Friday September 30, 2011 at He was born on May 28, 1923 1:30 P M. from the St. Jacob James F. Murphy in Shelby County, the son of Lutheran Church with Rev. Thomas Jay Newton the late Frank and Mayme Michael Althauser officiating. Thomas L. Pullen (Schiff) Bertsch. On Novem- Burial was at Pearl Cemetery ber 5, 1943 he married Rose- Andy Rooney in Swanders. Memorials may mary Johnson who preceded Robert E. Rummens be made to Mighty Eighth Air him in death on March 29, Lester L. Shaak Force Museum P.O. Box 1992, 1997. Herman Starr Savanah, GA 31402. Condo- lences may be expressed to Bill Swindell He is survived by two - chil the Bertsch family at our web- Joseph Zwick dren; John Bertsch Jr. of Sid- site, www.cromesfh.com ney, Lorrie Moniaci of Co- lumbus, OH, two grandsons; Matthew Bertsch and Joseph Moniaci, one great-grand- daughter, Ana Beil and two NOVEMBER 2012 HARDLIFE HERALD 19 385Th BGA TAPS

Master Sergeant William Mass of Christian Burial was shot down over Berlin on Oct. Dale Carte, 89 of Gordon, WV 10:30 am Friday, October 12, 6, 1944, while serving as a passed away in CAMC Teays 2012 at The Catholic Church B-17 Flying Fortress pilot dur- Valley Hospital after a long of Ascension celebrated by ing World War II. illness on October 7, 2012. He Rev. Harry N. Cramer. Burial was preceded in death by his will be in Memory Garden, Harry Livingston was cap- wife Vera Vee Carte in August Boone County, WV Visitation tured and held in a POW of this year. was held from 6 to 8 on Thurs- camp until Gen. George S. day with a Vigil Service start - Patton liberated the prison on Married December 24, 1953 in ing 6 at Allen Funeral Home, April 29, 1945, about seven Hampton, VA. where he was 2837 Main St. Hurricane WV. months later, Louise Livings- stationed at Langley Air Force ton said. base. He was born November 13, 1922 in Charleston WV. “He had to march all across Served 26 years; retired - Au Germany before he was liber- gust 31, 1968. ated,” she said. “He marched through the snow, sometimes He was in 385th bomb group carrying other prisoners.” of WWII as a B17 top gunner and participated in 17 mis- The two were wed shortly sions over enemy occupied after he returned from the Europe before crashing inHarry Livingston Jr., who war, with the nuptials taking Switzerland where he spentwas more than six months as place on June 19, 1945, at the held prisoner for 9 months. a prisoner of war in Germany old First Methodist Church in before launching a decades- Marietta He was also preceded in long career in business and death by brothers Charles and public service, died Sunday. After the war, Harry Livings- Daniel. He is survived by He was 91. ton began a more than 50-year his sons; Norman Earl Carte career as an insurance sales- of Costa Mesa, CAL; Joseph Livingston succumbed to man with New York Life, his Daniel Carte of Culloden, complications from Alzheim- widow said. WV; William Jr Carte of Lin- er’s disease, which he’d had colnton, NC, Jeffery B. Carte for more than two years, said T.W. Lord, who owned a com- of Gordon, WV, Martin J Louise Franklin Livingston, peting insurance company in Carte of Gordon, WV; Ninehis wife of 66 years. the same building on the Mar- Grandchildren, Brother Jon- ietta Square, said they always nie Carte and Sister Minnie The Livingstons, both natives had a good-natured rivalry. Catherine Prouty and one of Marietta and 1937 gradu- brother -in-law Franklin Lin- ates of Marietta High School, “He was a straight-forward ville of Charleston, WV were engaged when he was fellow,” Lord said. “We were 20 HARDLIFE HERALD NOVEMBER 2012 385Th BGA TAPS competition, but not competi- cility after Harry Livingston.HERMAN STARR 88, passed tive.” He served on that agency’saway at his residence in Delray board from 1983 to 1995. Beach, Fla., on Sunday, Nov. Harry Livingston “dabbled in 13. Services were held at Jewish about everything,” his wife Bob Lewis, general manager Memorial Chapel, 841 Allwood said. of the lights and water board, Rd., Clifton, N.J., at 11 a.m., with interment at Passaic Junction said Harry Livingston was Cemetery, Saddle Brook, N.J. Former Marietta Mayor Bill thought of so highly that he Dunaway, a longtime friend was chosen to serve on theMr. Starr was born in Passaic, of the Livingstons, remembers board of the statewide Mu- N.J., and lived in Clifton, N.J., him as his first scoutmaster,nicipal Electric Authority of and Monroe Township, N.J., taking youngsters water ski- Georgia from 1989 to 1997. before moving to Delray Beach, ing on the newly constructed Fla., 20 years ago. He was a grad- Lake Allatoona. Even after he left the boards, uate of Upsala College, East Or - he would stop by the offices, ange, N.J., were he received his “He was always active in the Lewis said. bachelor’s degree in business. community,” Dunaway said. Mr. Starr was a World War II “I think I learned a lot of that “He came and just visited veteran, serving his country from him. He was always a with employees,” Lewis said. in the United States Army Air giving person and a very lov- “He was just a real friend of Corps. He was the owner of ing person.” the employees and of Marietta Acme Scrap Metal in Paterson, Power.” N.J., for 50 years, retiring about Harry Livingston served as 10 years ago. president of the Cobb Cham- Harry Livingston’s was ber of Commerce and was awarded the Air Medal, a Mr. Starr was a member of Clif- named “Marietta Citizen Presidential of Unit Citation and ton Jewish Center, The Passaic the Year” in 1996. Among thea POW Medal for his time in Hebrew Verein, the Knights of boards he served on are the military. Pythias Passaic Lodge, and the Salvation Army, the Cobb- In Jewish War Veterans. He was predeceased by his wife, Bernice dustrial Development Com- A memorial service for Har- Starr (nee Len). Surviving are his mittee, the Humane Society,ry Livingston takes place at two sons, Jerry Starr and wife, the Youth Museum and the2 p.m. Wednesday at First Pamela, of Maplewood, N.J., and Marietta Board of LightsUnited and Methodist Church, 56 Steven Starr of Little Falls, N.J.; Water. Whitlock Ave. Southwest in his two sisters, Jeanette Wallen- Marietta. berg and Ruth Yarmuth, both of The lights and water board Boca Raton, Fla., and two grand- even named a street at its- fa children, Matthew and Adam cility after Harry Livingston. Starr. Donations in his memory He served on that agency’s may be made to the Jewish War Veterans. NOVEMBER 2012 HARDLIFE HERALD 21 385Th BGA TAPS

Charles W. "Bill" Swindell He was a proud great- High Flight grandfather of Tabitha A 30+ year resident of Ran- MacDougall (Antioch CA); “Oh , I have slipped the cho Murieta, Bill passed Heather MacDougall (Ukiah surly bonds of earth , away peacefully in Sacra- CA), and Jack & Megan Kelly And danced the skies on (Concord CA.) mento on August 22, 2012, laughter-silvered wings; after a sudden but brief ill- Sunward I’ve climbed He was also a loving uncle, ness. He was 93 years old. and joined the tumbling Mary Pat Crowley and Joseph mirth Crowley (Dottie.) He now rejoins his beloved of sun-split clouds - and wife, Adelaide, who pre- done a hundred things He was a long-time mem- ceded him in death in 1998. You have not dreamed ber of Rancho Murieta Golf of - wheeled and soared Club as well as Trinity Ca- Bill was born in July of and swung thedral (26th St. & Capitol 1919, Hot Springs, ND to high in the sunlit si- Ave.) in downtown Sacra- Earle J. Swindell and Clara lence. Hovering there mento where the funeral I’ve chased the shouting B. Smith. He served for over service were held on Fridaywind along and flung 30 years in the US Air Force. (8/31) at 11:00am. my eager craft through After retiring from military footless halls of air. service he worked for Mo- He will be lovingly laid to torola for many years. He rest beside his wife at Gold- “Up, up the long deliri- was an avid golfer even into ous burning blue en Gate National Cemetery his later years and also en- I’ve topped the wind- in San Bruno, CA. joyed woodworking which swept heights with easy including making various grace, Remembrances in his name furniture pieces for his fam- where never lark, or may be directed to the ily. even eagle, flew; American Cancer Society and, while with silent, or to the Trinity Cathedral lifting mind I’ve trod He will be deeply missed by Church fund. the high untrespassed his son, Bill Swindell Jr. (Su- sanctity of space, san) of Martinez CA, a sister Online condolences may be put out my hand and Erla Crowley of Monrovia sent to the family at gorm- touched the face of God.” CA, and his grandchildren, leyandsons.com Sandra Lynn MacDougall John Gillespie Magee, Jr. (Greg) of Ukiah CA and Debra Sue Kelly (Mark) of Concord CA. 22 HARDLIFE HERALD NOVEMBER 2012 Missing An Issue? Please Let Us Know!

BEFORE YOU RECYCLE THIS NEWSLETTER...

Please consider donating it to your local School, VFW, or American Legion.

FOR SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: Chuck Smith - 385th BGA Treasurer [email protected] (404) 683-2896 P.O. Box 329 Alpharetta, GA 30009-0329

Previous issue pictured at left NOVEMBER 2012 HARDLIFE HERALD 23 385th BGA Chuck Smith, Treasurer P.O. Box 329 Alpharetta, GA 30009 U.S.A.

Address Service Requested